Philadelphia Union fell in penalty kicks to New England Revolution on Wednesday night in Boston after the sides finished level at 1-1 after extra time. C.J. Sapong and Sebastien Le Toux both had their efforts saved by former Union goalkeeper Brad Knighton as the Revs won the shootout 4-2.

It took until the 90th minute for Fabian Herbers to equalize after Je-Vaughn Watson gave the Revs the lead just before halftime.

The loss eliminates the two time runner-up Union from the U.S. Open Cup.

First Half

Both teams fielded strong lineups. Jim Curtin made two changes to the team that drew with New York on Sunday, Warren Creavalle slotted in for Brian Carroll and Ray Gaddis started at right back in place of Keegan Rosenberry.

Chances were at a premium for much of the first half. Ilsinho should have done better when Fabinho picked him with a good cross from the left near the midway point as the Union’s best chance.

New England finally broke through in the 43rd minute through Watson. The Union defense was disorganized after a foul 40 yards from goal and a quick restart from Diego Fagundez found Watson wide open down the left side. The Jamaican took a touch toward and goal and finished past a helpless Andre Blake to put the Revs ahead.

Second Half

Philadelphia mounted a continued attack through the second period with the Revs content to sit back and attack on the counter. Ilsinho danced through two defenders in the Revolution box before firing off the post under pressure from 8 yards near the hour mark.

Blake was stellar throughout the second half, saving from Kei Kamara twice as the striker looked to put the game away.

Herbers, Le Toux, and Leo Fernandes were all introduced as the Union searched for an equalizer.

It would be the substitutes hooking up for the equalizer just before the end of normal time. Le Toux did ever so well to wait for runners in the box on the right side before finding Hebers with his cross. The rookie showed fine composure to touch the ball into his path with his thigh before firing a scissored half volley off the turf and past Knighton.

Extra Time and PKs

Both teams had chances in the extra period. Fernandes should have scored just minutes in when the ball fell to him in the New England area and he was one on one with Knighton, but the goalkeeper made himself big and saved from close range.

In the second period of extra time Andre Blake made his finest saves of the night. Andrew Farrell broke into the box down the right and Blake made himself big to deny his shot only to get up and push away Kelyn Rowe’s rebound effort before Ken Tribbett could clear. It was highlight reel stuff from the Jamaican International.

Both teams attacked until the final whistle but there was no breakthrough and the match moved to penalty kicks.

Sebastien Le Toux had his poor penalty effort saved by Knighton on the Union’s first shot and C.J. Sapong was unable to duplicate his effort from the weekend as the Union fell to the Revolution 4-2 in the end.

The Union are next in action on Saturday when they travel to Montreal to face the Impact (7:30 pm: TCN, MLS Live, Direct Kick).

55 Comments

We learned tonight what happens when Tranqillo Barnetta has an off game.
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We also learned the BC is better offensively than Warren Creavalle.
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Too, too bad.
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Herbers goal was on a nice assist from Le Toux.
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Ilsinho needs to vary his pattern more. He is almost a guarantee of possession lost at times.
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They will pay for the OT in Montreal Saturday night.

Very true about Ilsinho. The Revs started to figure it out after a bit. We’re gonna see more defenders resist the urge to poke the ball away from him and just stand him up. Hopefully, he varies his pattern of play more.
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Disappointing to lose on PK’s, but the odds were against us once we lost the coin flip and had to go second. When LeToux missed, the odds shot even further up. You can’t have your first man miss in that situation, it just creates another level of pressure for the rest of the Union takers.
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Bummed that we didn’t make the semis, but it’s a different year and we have other things to play for now.

Spot on, OSC. Extra periods were forseeable, too, based on USOC games of years past. Does Ilsinho start at MTL? Also second straight outing Tribbett struggled. JC said next game was higher priority. Hope they holdsup 3 days after playing 120.

philpill, did you ask about Ilsinho’s availability for Montreal because Curtin did go through with filing an appeal of his red card? and got it overturned?
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Agreed about Tribbett. His last couple outings have not strengthened his case much. Frustrating.

Second game in a row where Tribbett misplays led to goals. Sunday, a badly timed giveaway. Here, an unnecessary foul in a bad spot. I hope this gets it out of his system. (Also noted that a great Revs chance followed immediately after his aggressive charge and missed goal opportunity sliding onto the cross from the right. The camera didn’t show his attempt to get back into the play, so I cannot fault that here.) I don’t think that he has helped as much as I had hoped in the center back spot. Tough to lose the xhance at silverware, but it is back to business now, and overtaking NYCFC.

Union is not a good team. Blake is just incredible. It’s not that Barnetta had an off game – it’s just that he’s not that great a player. Same with Ilsinho and Alberg. The team still lacks speed and – despite Curtin’s and Stewart’s smoke screens about being 2 deep at every position – we keep trotting out basically the same starters. Without Blake the Union would be at the bottom of the table. Again. I had looked forward to another US open cup final at TEP. Oh well.

I disagree. They are a good (not great) team who has some depth for the first time in its history. They also have to be getting tired. Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday pretty much for a month and a half straight. Blake is outstanding but to say Blake is the only reason they are good is just lazy. Are they gonna win MLS Cup… probably not, but they are at the very least… a good team.

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I like to vape my hits now… clean, medicinal a bit more sophisticated and depending where you live entirely legal.
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We’ll excuse this gentleman for buying Joker Papers at the 7-11 still – nickel bags on a street named after a president or dead US martyr.
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We’ll excuse him also for his comments regarding The Calm.

Obviously you’ve never watch a Union game this season or before and you haven’t seen Barnetta play. Barnetta is the one technical and professional class player this team has. Was he better 2 to 3 years ago sure, but he is still way above the level of most players we’ve seen here at the Union. To call this team not a good team just cause they lost a cup game is just wrong. Currently this team is having one of their best seasons and their in second in the east hence that makes them at least a good team. Its better than they have ever been and in the whole league I think it puts them at 5th which to me puts this team in at least the good category. Are they a dynasty are they amazing are they great no, but they are a good team. Alberg is 24 he can and likely could be a great player he is still young and just got here, but still has skill hence his previous streak of 6 goals in 8 days. Ilsinho yeah is slow and out of shape hence why the Union were able to get him however he has skill on the ball and if he gets in shape gives this team something it lacks in one on one ability. Blake is not the only one on this team worth anything.

Wow Ben….I can smell the negadelphian ignorance on you all the way over here from the Plains of Union Cautious Optimism…I know you’re not at the Cliff because that is where sensible people reside from time to time…May I recommend residence at the Sakiewicz School for People Who Can’t Soccer Real Good?

The penalties were very disappointing. Le Toux hit his decently but definitely in a savable spot and CJ, oh CJ, what was that?
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Did anyone notice that the REVS fans that were there did the same chant for most of the second half, extra time, and PKs? Very strange
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Does the open cup count for referees too? Not sure who that guy was last night but he seemed to not have much control and was afraid of giving out cards. The couple he gave out were not that bad but there was definitely an opportunity for a REV to be sent off and it did not happen for a clearly bookable offense? Even the REVs announcers on the live stream were saying that he should have been sent off and that more cards could have been given at different instances. He did not influence the game like Sunday’s game but still I did not think he was very good on the night.
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Definitely not our best showing from anyone other than Andre. I appreciate Curtin taking off some of the guys who we need for Saturday (Barnetta especially). A bit shocked to see Ilsihno go all 120 but remembered he is suspended for the Red (still shocked he could go 120). Still love the fight out of our guys though!

Oh right, so it’s hard to get cards in Open Cup play, unless you’re a Union striker. Ha. But seriously, refs don’t want to be giving out cards in this tournament, especially the later it gets, and the Union should know this and use it to their advantage.

It was Soren Stoica who has been both lambasted on PSP for his last Open Cup performance against either Red Bull or HCI (sorry can’t remember, but I know he was drek), but a week or two later was praised for an MLS match he reffed for us and was said to be very consistent the entire night…U-Fucious say “Only constant in life and referees is change”

Sucks they lost but have to respect their ability to never quit. Pontius, Barnetta, and Alberg – arguably some of the best players (if not the best 3) on this team this year – are subbed off… AND then they equalize?! Saturday is gonna be rough. If they get a result I will be surprised. But hey I didn’t think they’d make it 1-1 last night either.
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It’s nice we have the league to still look forward to this year. This team is fun to watch and this season is exciting.

Even with the loss, I’m glad I went. (On the bus now heading back to Philly.) Ernie sat in the section next to me, so it was fun holding up my scarf and calling to him when he walked in with his kids.
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Although the final result was obviously close, New England deserved the result, outplaying the Union for much of the match. It was funny though that for the first 3-5 minutes of the game the Union started out completely dominating possession but then stopped make the crisp, sharp passes.
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One small correction to the first line of the article, Mike. The game was actually across the river in Boston. For some reason the athletic fields are a couple of blocks from the university but in such a way to be in a different town and county.
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I should also add that I’d like to see New England win the cup, if only because their fans were gracious winners and friendly throughout, even though I was clearly supporting the other team.

A bit of a disappointing performance. Yet another set piece goal given up, which is becoming quite concerning. Tribbett looked shaky again and I’m am becoming more convinced that Yaro is the clear starter. Alberg continues to be mostly a non-factor and plays too high for too much of the game. Barnetta was oddly quiet, I’m chalking it up to tired legs. Honestly Blake and Gaddis were the brights spots. Gaddis has clearly been picking up things from Rosenberry. Numerous times he was playing good passes up the touchline or getting nice crosses into the box. And Blake…I mean he made the Rev’s commentators nearly choke. All in all, I love Herbers…but at that point…kinda wish he had flubbed that goal and saved the team thirty extra minutes of running around.

I have to say, I found myself enjoying the New England broadcast team on the stream. Thought they were very fair and did a good job. No real homerism.
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Problem again for the U is that they can run some really nice sequences to get the ball in a dangerous spot only to have that last pass or the shot fail.
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Nice to still have league play to really look forward, to. I think this is Dallas’ year to win the open cup anyway.

Agree about the broadcast team. I was thinking the same thing. A lot of the previous Open Cup broadcasts were terrible. The New England guys did their homework and could actually speak intelligently about the Union players and previous results. A+ work by the.

I think you and der Fuss are being too critical of Fernandes.
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Should he have put that shot away last night? Perhaps, but it was a nice effort on his part just to get the opportunity to shoot. Look at the video above (around 2:15 mark) and you’ll see that he splits two defenders before getting off the shot.
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As for his overall performance this season, it’s been a bit up and down, but Fernandes has been a solid contributor the last few games he’s played for the Union (including, IMO, last night).

Mental lapse on not defending restart right away…….no one fronted the ball, that’s exactly why you do that. Almost got burned again on another mental lapse on restart in the second half. I thought CJ had a tough night and looked fatigued……Alberg too. Pretty cool to have the match in Cambridge………Leo has to put that ball away! Rosenberry presents problems to the opposition that Ray doesn’t, it was evident last night…..and Ray didn’t play badly, he’s just limited. It was also nice to see Isinho play a full 120 minutes! Probably dropped 5 just from that match!

Anyone who has played organized sport of any type, has to acknowledge the effort it takes to keep getting continued positive results each and every game. When transitioning year to year you then have the un-known change of players, managers etc. Being a founding member I can say I am TOTALLY IMPRESSED with the team being put on the field each and every game. First, the talent now compared to one off season ago is 110% better, second the ENTIRE COACHING STAFF has stepped up their game getting this team to perform at its highest level, esp their conditioning. They also have an incredible appetite to NEVER settle for good enough, and that shows by the way this team FLAT OUT NEVER GIVES UP until the last whistle. ALL this has occured in ONE offseason… “THNX ES, you ARE the reason for all of the above positives. No ones memory is sooo short to have forgotten just HOW F%#&IN’ bad this team was for the last 2/3 years. With that mouthful off my chest, remember you can’t win them all, but if your team continues to improve, what more can you expect. So easy “PHILLY FANS” we’re a rare breed with the highest expectations on the planet and a sharp tongue and wit to boot, but remember one word… “SAKS” !!! I need not say another word! UNION UNION UNION UNION UNION UNION !!!!!!

They could and should have won had Fernandes and Ilsinho finished properly. The most disappointing thing was that Letoux and Sapong had such a terrible penalties.
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Thoroughly enjoyed watching the game at Tir Na Nog. The Manager put the game on; almost looked like a real broadcast except for the couple of times when buffering or whatever went on.

Really? I went to Tir Na Nog twice in ’13 to watch some games. Once they wouldn’t turn the sound on and only had it on 1 TV that was the size of a computer monitor. The other time they wouldn’t turn the game on for me at all.

Could the Union have won? Agreed. Should they have won? I wouldn’t go that far.
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As I recall from last night’s match, the Revolution had more shots that could have/should have been goals – but weren’t – than the Union.